


Between the lines

by Schangia



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, KHRrarePairWeek2020, M/M, Rare Pairings, and belphegor takes joy in annoying people, in which dino owns a bookshop, squalo is a handsome stranger clad in black
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24916675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schangia/pseuds/Schangia
Summary: Dino enjoys his quiet life, running his bookshop in the busy streets of Catania and taking life as it comes. It isn't until Squalo waltzes into his shop one evening, picking up a book for his annoying stepbrother Bel, that Dino considers adding more excitement to his life.KHR! Rarepair Week, Lightning Day, prompt: Bookshop AU
Relationships: Dino/Superbi Squalo
Kudos: 14
Collections: KHR Rare Pair Week 2020





	Between the lines

It was already dark outside as Dino got up from his stool behind the counter and leisurely sauntered towards one of the high bookshelves at the back of his bookshop. He had been thinking about reorganising the history section for a while now, and since it was almost time to close up anyway, he wanted to spend the last half hour of his working day doing something productive.

There hadn't been many customers today, but Dino was used to that during the week. Most of his regular customers stopped by on the weekend, or during their lunch break on rare occasions. On weekdays there were mostly tourists stumbling into his shop, pretending to be interested in buying something when all they were really looking for was to experience the atmosphere in an authentic Sicilian bookshop.

With his shop located in one of the countless side streets branching off Via Etnea, the bustling lifeline running through Catania, that wasn't a surprise though. And to be fair, some tourists even bought a book or two. Few among them actually spoke Italian, but he didn't mind much as long as they were happy. Dino had been learning English from an early age on, so he enjoyed talking with foreign customers just as much as he did with his regulars.

It's not like he could blame them for being drawn to his shop, either. The high ceilings and narrow aisles between the countless bookshelves looked cosy even from the other side of the dusty shop windows. Over the years he had put money aside to buy some quaint chandeliers at the antique store down the street, and he never regretted the expensive purchase. Dino loved how they bathed the books in warm light, giving his shop a rustic, almost mystical atmosphere.

Lost in his thoughts, faintly humming to himself, Dino didn't pay any attention to what was going on outside. For a few precious moments he was allowing himself to simply focus on the books before him, on their varying bindings and their reassuring weight in his hands as he was rearranging them carefully. Then, when he least expected it, the living embodiment of a summer storm waltzed into his shop, his movements so forceful he actually created enough air movement to make some loose pieces of paper fall on the dark floorboards.

“Listen, you ungrateful little brat, I don't care why you didn't buy the damn book yourself! Stop whining or I'll change my mind!”

Dino almost dropped the book he was holding at the unexpected customer's loud voice. His head whipped towards the entrance, just in time to watch the tall man make his way towards the counter, all the while talking on the phone as if he hadn't realised Dino was present yet.

“You just try re-enacting your favourite scene of that shitty protagonist stabbing his older brother! I'll make your life a living hell!” The stranger listened for three seconds before groaning audibly. “I swear to god, Bel, I'll stab you myself if you don't shut up!”

With that he hung up, grinding his teeth in irritation and for the first time bothering to look around the small shop in search for someone to either talk to or blatantly take out his mood on. His eyes fell on Dino who hadn't moved for the past seconds, mostly in fear of drawing unwanted attention to himself. When he locked gazes with the tall stranger, he felt like a downpour had just washed over him. 

His unusual customer was ridiculously attractive. Dressed in a tight black coat accentuating his long legs, the man gave off an air of nobility despite his foul mouth. His long grey hair, done up in a ponytail, framed his sharp features and piercing eyes rather nicely.

Dino gulped. He had never seen such a beautiful jawline on a man before.

It took him a few moments to realise how excessively he was staring, and while it was a rude observation to make, he thought that the man's face looked handsome even now as it was scrunched up in anger. Then, putting the book back into its place on the shelf, Dino cleared his throat and pretended that his potential new favourite customer hadn't just threatened someone over the phone.

“How can I help you?”

The man waited for him to walk over, apparently not bothered by the cautious distance Dino chose to keep between them.

“You're selling fantasy novels too, right? I'm looking for this one,” he explained, holding out his phone to show Dino the picture of a book he had sold quite a few times during the past weeks. Dino nodded and dared to show his customer a small smile before he walked over to one of the shelves and started looking through the books on display.

He almost wanted to laugh at himself for how rapidly his heart was beating against his chest. Apparently a handsome face was all it took to make him tongue-tied, but at least it was only that. Dino had the tendency to trip over his own feet whenever he was nervous, and the last thing he wanted to do now was leave an overly bad impression.

It didn't take him long to find the book but at least he had some moments to calm down. Taking a steady breath, Dino grabbed the book, walked back to the counter and confirmed he had got the correct volume. After the man gave him a nod, long hair dancing over his back, Dino started wrapping up the novel; it was supposed to be a present after all. His customer didn't resist and instead glancing around the store nonchalantly.

With his heart beating too fast for his own good, Dino tried to strike up a conversation with the handsome stranger.

“So, do you like books?”

The man didn't even look at him as he answered. “Not a big fan, no.”

“It's a present then?” Dino tried again, holding onto his smile even though his customer didn't seem interested in their conversation at all.

“For my stepbrother.”

“The one you talked to when you came in?”

He just had to make sure, even if he came across as nosy. Who even talked to their family like that? The handsome man on the other side of the counter apparently, seeing as he simply nodded, completely unfazed and as if it was perfectly normal to threaten his relatives with impalement. It wasn't though, so Dino kept asking questions and struggled to sound casual instead of alarmed.

“How old is he?”

The man shrugged. He seemed strangely interested in how Dino packed up the book. The way he was focussing on his fingers made Dino nervous, but he chose not to comment on it. When his customer finally answered the previous question, his voice was calmer, almost soothing; a deep hum in the empty shop. 

“Don't know. Does it matter?”

If he was completely honest with himself it didn't. Dino was pretty sure that the man could've been a serial killer, and he'd still find his heart doing somersaults. Clinging to the last remains of his common sense he said, “Well, I was just wondering if the novel was appropriate for him.”

At the sound of the stranger snorting softly at his comment, Dino's heart almost leapt out of his mouth. The brief grin on the man's face made his jawline stand out even more and gave Dino a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“He'll be fine. The damage is done anyway.”

Finishing up the wrapping, Dino raised an eyebrow and shot the other man a concerned look. Even if he remained the only one actively asking questions, he found it a lot easier to talk to the stranger now, and the new-found comfort gave him the courage to be more sceptical as well.

“He must be pretty smart though. You know, getting through the book by himself even though there are quite a lot of heavy topics.”

Realising that Dino had finished his job and was waiting for him to react, the stranger got out his wallet. The casualness of his reply made Dino briefly consider slamming his forehead against the counter.

“I read it to him. He laughed like a maniac at the stabbing scene.”

Dino almost stumbled over his words. “What a... uh, cute kid.”

“About as cute as a bald chicken.”

Dino could no longer deny that his new customer, albeit easily being the most attractive man he had ever laid eyes on, was the most terrible older brother and in all likelihood also the most terrible human being he had ever met. Despite all that, he was weirdly attracted to him, and he hated himself for it.

When he told the stranger the final price, he pulled out more than double the amount from his wallet. Dino was only faintly surprised at the amount of money his mysterious customer carried around and quickly dismissed the thought of him earning money by working as an assassin. He much rather focussed on his own disappointment at how their hands didn't touch by accident.

Suddenly the man's phone rang again, the sound cutting through the silence and almost making him jump in surprise. The stranger groaned and rolled his eyes before picking up the call. He didn't even bother greeting whoever had decided to call and simply shouted, “Stop bothering me, I got you your stupid book!”

Then he hung up again, huffing in annoyance while he stuffed his phone back into one of the pockets of his coat and grabbed the paper bag Dino had prepared for him.

“One of these days I'll tie him to his unnecessarily large bed and set the house on fire,” he muttered, realising he had spoken out loud only when he saw the concerned look in Dino's eyes.

For a few heartbeats the stranger looked at him as if there were still some questions lingering on his mind. His gaze wandered from Dino's eyes to his lips, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. In the end, however, he chose to click his tongue and turned around to leave.

Dino was in a daze, staring as the man walked towards the entrance with long strides. If it wasn't for the weight of the coins in his hand bringing him back to reality, he would've stood there for the rest of the evening.

“Wait, you forgot your change!” Dino called after the stranger who didn't even stop at his words. He simply raised his left hand in greeting. Dino could've sworn he had heard the grin on the other man's lips, but that surely wasn't possible.

“Whatever, just give me a discount next time.”

Then the stranger left as quickly as he had come, leaving behind the soft patter of rain. Even though he would've liked to scold himself for how his heart was fluttering, Dino couldn't help but look forward to the man's next visit.


End file.
